Sunday Study Guide: Making Washington work, women in the workplace, and Jeb Bush

Special Discussion: How to Make Washington Work with Coburn, Kaine, Gabbard, Gardner, Scarborough

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) was part of the group of Congressional Republicans with whom President Obama recently had dinner. He wrote in the Wall Street Journal this week that he agrees with the president that across-the-board cuts are “dumb,” but “if sequestration is dumb, it's even dumber not to cut spending at all. Cutting spending can be a powerful pro-growth strategy, but the outcome of sequestration depends on how the administration chooses to cut.” Sen. Coburn also wrote “The Debt Bomb.” Watch his latest MTP appearance here.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)said of the sequester, “I think people should look at the actions and they should condemn the actions, or frankly the inaction. I don’t think the parties are okay going into it. There may be some members, of both parties in both houses that are okay, but largely that’s not the case. It’s the gridlock that we have here, the unwillingness to compromise, and people staying in their corners that’s become a real hallmark of Congress the last few years so now real people are starting to feel the effects.” Watch his latest show appearance.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) recently voted for the House’s continuing resolution, one of only 53 Democrats to do so. She released a statement that read, the bill “was disappointing and is far from perfect. However, the gridlock must end and it will take both parties working together to do so. … I’m hopeful the Senate will improve upon this bill and a final bipartisan compromise can be reached to ensure the government remains open at the end of the month. Congress must act responsibly to move our country and economy beyond this uncertainty.”

Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO)’s name has been floated as a possible challenge to Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) in the state’s 2014 Senate race. According toThe Hill, he is “the candidate most hoped for by Republicans — and feared by Democrats.” However, Rep. Gardner has said he “in no hurry to make a decision.”

Host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Joe Scarboroughsaid the president’s meeting with Republicans was “a great step forward, and I think it’s necessary for them to have several of these meetings and get to know each other.” The president is moving on to “Plan B” because “he tried campaigning around Republicans and he saw that didn’t work with sequester, that he had republicans that were willing to vote down something, or not vote for something, even if it might be in their best interest politically in the short run.” Scarborough also wrote this week about tackling the country’s debt while also investing in the future. He also wrote “The Last Best Hope.” Watch his latest appearance here.

Women in the Workplace: Marcus, Myers,Blackburn, Schmidt

Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcuswrote this week about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and her new book, “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead.” Marcus wrote, It’s “a valuable contribution to the endless debate over gender, motherhood and work, and why her risky disclosures are so important. The take-away, especially for younger women, is: If Sheryl Sandberg can feel this way and still be Sheryl Sandberg, maybe I can, too.” Watch her latest MTP appearance.

Dee Dee Myers served as White House press secretary during the Clinton administration. She is also the author of “Why Women Should Rule the World,” which is the basis for a new BBC documentary. Myers, who interviewed women in various positions for the documentary, said she took away “a really important message for women: It’s not to be like men, but to try to bring what women bring in order to strengthen the conversation and benefit everybody.” Watch her latest appearance here.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), vice chair of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee, recently saidof sequestration cuts, “I think that not only am I comfortable, I think my constituents are relieved that it actually went on the books. … What we’re hearing from our constituents is, ‘Look we want you to get in there and protect the military, but all of this discretionary spending, you need to be cutting it.’” She is also the author of “Life Equity.” Watch her most recent Meet the Press appearance here.

GOP strategist Steve Schmidtsaid of immigration reform, “There are some encouraging signs on the Republican side and I think people are waking up to the political reality that the Republican party will never again win a presidential election if we stay on the trend line we have been on since 2004 with Hispanic voters … the Republican Party is going to have to figure out how to talk to this community through a prism of respect before we can even begin to make the case on issues and empowerment.” Watch his latest MTP appearance.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL):

Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) served two terms as Florida’s governor from 1999-2007, and he was the first Republican governor to be re-elected in Florida’s history. Gov. Bush was pushed to the forefront of the immigration debate this week with his new book, “Immigration Wars,” in which he argues for legal status for illegal immigrants as a part comprehensive reform, but not a path to citizenship. The debate has also sparked speculation that Bush is planning a 2016 run for the White House.